ERROR: Specified render queue item needs output file but none provided

SimeonVeld · February 23, 2024, 2:41pm

I decided to make another post on this topic as after countless hour of troubleshooting I still cant seem to fix the problem.
Oftentimes when I submit a job it renders fine at first for a while and many tasks (sets of 50 frames) render ok. Then after a while it starts giving me an error and I cant seem to continue rendering the job. This goed across all machines in the farm.
It has now gotten to the point where most jobs I submit get this error right away. So I simply cannot render now which is a BIG issue.

I cant find any info on it anywhere. I tried running AErender in the commandline and that works fine.
is there a way I can look at what code (and output) deadline runs that it sends to AErender? There must be a way to fix it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The Error;

STDOUT: aerender ERROR: Specified render queue item needs output file but none provided.

The FUll Log;

=======================================================
Error
=======================================================
aerender ERROR: Specified render queue item needs output file but none provided.
   at Deadline.Plugins.PluginWrapper.RenderTasks(Task task, String& outMessage, AbortLevel& abortLevel)

=======================================================
Type
=======================================================
RenderPluginException

=======================================================
Stack Trace
=======================================================
   at Deadline.Plugins.SandboxedPlugin.d(DeadlineMessage bgq, CancellationToken bgr)
   at Deadline.Plugins.SandboxedPlugin.RenderTask(Task task, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at Deadline.Slaves.SlaveRenderThread.c(TaskLogWriter ajv, CancellationToken ajw)

=======================================================
Log
=======================================================
2024-02-23 15:18:30:  0: Loading Job's Plugin timeout is Disabled
2024-02-23 15:18:30:  0: SandboxedPlugin: Render Job As User disabled, running as current user 'Simeon'
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: Executing plugin command of type 'Initialize Plugin'
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Executing plugin script 'C:\ProgramData\Thinkbox\Deadline10\workers\MB3D-08\plugins\65d75fe50f2d73d1b0e46a23\AfterEffects.py'
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Plugin execution sandbox using Python version 3
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Fail Without Finished Message set to: False
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Fail on Existing After Effects process: False
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: About: After Effects Plugin for Deadline
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: The job's environment will be merged with the current environment before rendering
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: Done executing plugin command of type 'Initialize Plugin'
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: Start Job timeout is disabled.
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: Task timeout is disabled.
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: Loaded job: Algebra_of_Awe_8K_lefteye - DeepCube_Revolve_left (65d75fe50f2d73d1b0e46a23)
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: Executing plugin command of type 'Start Job'
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: DEBUG: S3BackedCache Client is not installed.
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Executing global asset transfer preload script 'C:\ProgramData\Thinkbox\Deadline10\workers\MB3D-08\plugins\65d75fe50f2d73d1b0e46a23\GlobalAssetTransferPreLoad.py'
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Looking for legacy (pre-10.0.26) AWS Portal File Transfer...
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Looking for legacy (pre-10.0.26) File Transfer controller in C:/Program Files/Thinkbox/S3BackedCache/bin/task.py...
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Could not find legacy (pre-10.0.26) AWS Portal File Transfer.
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Legacy (pre-10.0.26) AWS Portal File Transfer is not installed on the system.
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: Done executing plugin command of type 'Start Job'
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: Plugin rendering frame(s): 2400-2449
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: Executing plugin command of type 'Render Task'
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Attempting to create "C:\Users\Simeon\Documents\ae_render_only_node.txt" to force After Effects to run in Render Engine mode
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Stdout Redirection Enabled: True
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Stdout Handling Enabled: True
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Popup Handling Enabled: True
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: QT Popup Handling Enabled: False
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: WindowsForms10.Window.8.app.* Popup Handling Enabled: False
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Using Process Tree: True
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Hiding DOS Window: True
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Creating New Console: False
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Running as user: Simeon
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Executable: "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2023\Support Files\aerender.exe"
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Ignoring missing layer dependency errors
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Argument: -project "T:\AfterEffects\Algebra_of_Awe_8K.aep" -comp "DeepCube_Revolve_left" -s 2400 -e 2449 -v ERRORS_AND_PROGRESS -close DO_NOT_SAVE_CHANGES -sound OFF
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Full Command: "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2023\Support Files\aerender.exe" -project "T:\AfterEffects\Algebra_of_Awe_8K.aep" -comp "DeepCube_Revolve_left" -s 2400 -e 2449 -v ERRORS_AND_PROGRESS -close DO_NOT_SAVE_CHANGES -sound OFF
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Startup Directory: "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2023\Support Files"
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Process Priority: BelowNormal
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Process Affinity: default
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Process is now running
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Submitted from After Effects version: 23.6.2x5
2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: STDOUT: aerender version 23.6.2x5
2024-02-23 15:18:49:  0: STDOUT: PROGRESS: Launching After Effects...
2024-02-23 15:18:49:  0: STDOUT: PROGRESS: Adding specified comp to Render Queue
2024-02-23 15:18:49:  0: INFO: Checking for file "C:\Users\Simeon\Documents\ae_render_only_node.txt"
2024-02-23 15:18:49:  0: INFO: Attempting to delete "C:\Users\Simeon\Documents\ae_render_only_node.txt" to allow After Effects to run in the workstation environment
2024-02-23 15:18:49:  0: STDOUT: aerender ERROR: Specified render queue item needs output file but none provided.
2024-02-23 15:18:50:  0: Done executing plugin command of type 'Render Task'

=======================================================
Details
=======================================================
Date: 02/23/2024 15:18:53
Frames: 2400-2449
Elapsed Time: 00:00:00:23
Job Submit Date: 02/22/2024 15:53:25
Job User: juliu
Average RAM Usage: 30755504128 (23%)
Peak RAM Usage: 30788190208 (23%)
Average CPU Usage: 1%
Peak CPU Usage: 2%
Used CPU Clocks (x10^6 cycles): 47225
Total CPU Clocks (x10^6 cycles): 4722435

=======================================================
Worker Information
=======================================================
Worker Name: MB3D-08
Version: v10.3.0.15 Release (76d003b0a)
Operating System: Windows 11 Home
Running As Service: No
Machine User: Simeon
IP Address: 2a02:a210:2049:a900:4bb8:ed17:e21e:f508
MAC Address: 08:BF:B8:56:06:C3
CPU Architecture: x64
CPUs: 64
CPU Usage: 0%
Memory Usage: 28.6 GB / 127.9 GB (22%)
Free Disk Space: 165.389 GB 
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti

SimeonVeld · February 23, 2024, 2:44pm

Justin_B · February 23, 2024, 4:22pm

To see exactly what Deadline is running aerender with, you can see that in this line of your log:

2024-02-23 15:18:32:  0: INFO: Full Command: "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2023\Support Files\aerender.exe" -project "T:\AfterEffects\Algebra_of_Awe_8K.aep" -comp "DeepCube_Revolve_left" -s 2400 -e 2449 -v ERRORS_AND_PROGRESS -close DO_NOT_SAVE_CHANGES -sound OFF

I think you already know that from other posts, but worth mentioning. To see how that command is generated we can go look in the application plugin code the Worker runs. That’ll be in DeadlineRepository10\plugins\AfterEffects\AfterEffects.py.

In that file check out the RenderArgument function to see how the flags are chosen. Where you see calls to GetPluginInfoEntryWithDefault or GetJobInfoEntryWithDefault those are referring to entries in the submission information. That can be checked by double clicking the job in the Monitor and going to ‘Submission Params’ to see the data that makes up the job.

Before the command is run the PreRenderTasks function is run. That’s where path-mapping happens to convert file references and the setup needed for forcing render engine mode.

After aerender exits without error PostRenderTasks runs to make sure output files were created, and to do other cleanup.

As for this specific error it looks like the “Output Path” may not have been set in the After Effects project’s configuration. In the “Render Queue” settings (CTRL + ALT + 0) for the project we expect that you’ll see that the “Output To” field is blank; this just needs to be filled in.

That doesn’t explain the intermittent failure, but it’s not something Deadline intervenes in.

SimeonVeld · February 29, 2024, 9:39am

Hey Justin Thank you for your reply.
Thank you for pointing these things out to me.
I have been looking into this but have not solved it yet.
I am not really a programmer so I am not really capable of changing things in the .py file.
Is there any way to force add the -output arg to the submission? The output is defined in the AE render queue when submitting it to the deadline.
And I guess you also wouldn’t know why the failing could be intermittent? Maybe our answer lies somewhere there. But I hear you say that is AE also and not deadline? Any tips on how I can go about troubleshooting that?
Thanks a million!

zainali · February 29, 2024, 6:57pm

Hello

Have you checked the submissions parameters in the job if the output directory exists? Check in Job’s right menu> Modify Job Properties> Submission Params> Check here if the output directory has been set. If not set it from the After Effects as mentioned by Justin.

As for this specific error it looks like the “Output Path” may not have been set in the After Effects project’s configuration. In the “Render Queue” settings (CTRL + ALT + 0) for the project we expect that you’ll see that the “Output To” field is blank; this just needs to be filled in.